The Indie Association Comes of Age

With new start-up associations forming worldwide we hear the terms "boutique associations" or "hybrid associations." When I look at the trend of new associations forming without big-name support, I liken them to independent films, bands, or other ventures in the entertainment industry and similarly dub these new meetings groups, "indie associations." In entertainment, "indie" refers to a production that operates without the backing of a major studio and instead goes it alone. Similarly, indie associations offer a high level of freedom, but also a great deal of added responsibility.

As the president of one of these indie associations, the International Medical Meeting Professionals Association (IMMPA), I have identified several factors that are driving planners and suppliers to both form and join these more independent organizations.

• The economy - members are looking for better value on their spend. Association membership is expensive and, coupled with monthly regional meetings or annual conferences, a typical member can easily spend thousands of dollars in one year as a member of an association.

• Trade show costs - you can almost buy a small car for the price of exhibiting at some trade shows. Multiply that by three to five trade shows per year and it comes to quite an investment.

• Education level - planners may be smarter today than they were 15 years ago. In the past, many fell into the industry by accident. Today, planners have undergraduate and post-graduate degrees in meeting management. They expect more of an association.

• Generational shift - younger generations embrace change and are more apt to ask, "What's in it for me?"

• Feelings of neglect - associations today have to be more mindful of their members. They must listen to what members' needs are, not what the association's needs are.

These influences have led planners to seek out, or create their own, associations that can meet these needs. Let's look at two indie associations (including my own), to see how they are succeeding in an industry populated by traditional associations.Creating a Niche

Shawna Suckow, CMP, was a corporate planner for seven years and owned her own company, COMPASS Events, for 10 years before founding the Senior Planners Industry Network (SPIN) in 2008. Working with planners Sara Vanderbilt and Tracey Smith, she created this association that serves meeting and event planners with at least 10 years of experience. It provides networking, educational opportunities, and only charges qualified planners a nominal membership fee.

SPIN is an independent network not affiliated with any other industry association. Everything the organization does is created by senior-level planners, for senior-level planners. SPIN does not try to be all things to all people.

"Since the founding of SPIN in October 2008, SPIN has had to turn away a lot of good planners because they didn't meet the experience requirement," says Suckow. "We decided that these planners needed their own private forum like SPIN, where they could network, seek advice, and exchange ideas with peers of a similar experience level."

And SPIN has proven its ability to offer innovative and creative outlets for its members. Its live events offer a series of networking meetings across North America that bring together senior-level meeting and event planners to address challenges and opportunities in their industry. Content for these meetings is "crowd-sourced."

SPIN Masterminds are private SPIN member groups designed to help each member achieve goals and overcome challenges through candid advice, brainstorming among peers, accountability, and a strict code of privacy. They can be joined for a higher annual membership fee. SPIN boasts a booming membership of over 2,500 and sees continued growth on the horizon.

The Steps to Going Indie
The other indie association I'd like to spotlight is my own. The planning of healthcare meetings began to change over five years ago when new regulations began coming into force, and I realized then that healthcare planner professionals were going to need updated education to meet the needs of compliance. I reached out to a large planner association and asked them to support this group with niche training. The response was "not interested."

I wondered why an industry that actively planned more than 130,000 U.S. meetings per year would have their needs so overlooked.

It was at this time that I decided to strike out on my own by forming a new association dedicated to meeting professionals (both planner and supplier) within the pharmaceutical, medical device, biologic, hospital, and animal health segment. With the help of colleagues Dave Callahan, senior manager of corporate event services at Anheuser-Busch; Dave Gillette, shareholder in ITC Audio Visual Services; and Marissa Wolfard, project manager at Maritz, the IMMPA began to take shape.

Our formation followed these steps:

1. The leadership team of committed professionals identified others who might be interested.

2. We decided how best to structure the  organization.

3. We identified potential members.

4. A legal entity was created.

5. Policies and procedures were established.

6. Initial officers and board members were selected.

7. The membership drive was launched, reaching out to potential members we had identified.

8. Alliances were formed.

9. We attracted and reached out to sponsors.

10.The association was officially launched.

11. We held the first IMMPA conference.

This path led to a strong, if independent, association. Our membership has grown significantly since 2009, and among our accomplishments, we have created:

• Educational webinars for members

• A dedicated member center

• A resource center

• A career center

• An annual conference (IMMPA's conference format includes all attendees meeting together at all sessions. This configuration has provided a more powerful voice and enhances the member experience.)

Additionally, we have:

• Provided senior-level healthcare planner speakers for various industry conferences

• Prepared to simulcast a conference in Cleveland, OH through a restaurant chain's telepresence system, offering remote conference participation within the U.S.

• Created a certification program (In September, IMMPA and the Convention Industry Council announced the beginning of the development process for a healthcare subspecialty to the CMP program.)

• Launched an initiative last year to increase global alliances with international healthcare associations.

So if you feel that your association is not meeting your needs, consider joining an indie association - or starting your own.